The annual competition was held at the Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from September 14 to 17.Led by Medy Gucaban, the team consisted of industrial design students Jocelyn Faith Pozon and Kenn Bantugan, with guidance from their adviser Jerome Manatad, an industrial designer and the director of FABLAB.
The team’s winning product, called “MatBlock," is a 2-in-1 board game that combines a sliding puzzle for mathematical operations with a tic-tac-toe game for analytical thinking. The puzzle incorporates braille markings and tactile elements, making it accessible for visually impaired and blind children. This feature allows users of all abilities to engage in the game and develop their mathematical calculation skills, concentration, decision-making abilities, and critical thinking.
The provincial government of Bohol, Youthlead Philippines Inc., Tagbilaran City, Bohol Industrial Designers Association, and FABLAB Bohol Philippines played crucial roles in the development and prototyping of MatBlock. The grand prize for the winning team was 14 million Indonesian rupees in recognition for the outstanding innovation and contribution to the field of product design and ergonomics.